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LIFE, IN ITS INTERMEDIATE FORMS. 



pletely filled. These cells, however, are never used as 

 honey-pots by Wasps, as they are by Bees ; for Wasps 

 make no honey, and the cells are wholly appropriated to 

 the rearing of their young. Like other Hymenopterous 

 Insects, the grubs are placed with their heads downwards ; 

 and the openings of the cells are also downwards ; while 

 their united bottoms form a nearly uniform level, upon 

 which the inhabitants of the nest may walk. 



" When the foundress Wasp has completed a certain 

 number of cells, and deposited eggs in them, she soon in- 

 termits her building operations, in order to procure food 

 for the young grubs, which now require all her care. In 

 a few weeks these become perfect Wasps, and lend their 

 assistance in the extension of the edifice ; enlarging the 

 original coping of the foundress by side walls, and forming 

 another platform of cells, suspended to the first by 

 columns, as that had been suspended to the ceiling. 



" In this manner several platforms of combs are con- 

 structed, the outer walls being extended at the same time ; 

 and, by the end of the summer, there are generally from 

 twelve to fifteen platforms of cells. Each contains about 

 1060 cells — forty-nine being contained in an inch and a 

 half square, and, of course, making the enormous number 

 of about 16,000 cells in one colony. Reaumur, upon 

 these data, calculates that one vespiary may produce every 

 year more than 30,000 Wasps, reckoning only 10,000 

 cells, and each serving successively for the cradle of three 

 generations. But, although the whole structure is built 

 at the expense of so much labour and ingenuity, it has 

 scarcely been finished before the winter sets in, when it 

 becomes nearly useless, and serves only for the abode of a 



